Cooperation in Research
Thanks to the research funds in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Hungary, Swiss research institutes and institutions in the partner countries can carry out joint research projects. The total funds for research partnerships amount to just under CHF 60 million.
The new EU member states are making great efforts to strengthen their potential in research and development. However, these countries face several obstacles in trying to establish a knowledge-based economy. There is often a lack of infrastructure and equipment, or the institutional structures and international networking may be in need of improvement.
Swiss research programmes in Bulgaria, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland and Romania will help promote these countries as locations for research. They will also intensify relationships with Switzerland in the scientific arena and make research careers more attractive for young academics.
Support from Switzerland as a centre of research
As a research location with significant technology exports and knowledge transfer, Switzerland has a lot to offer. Under the auspices of these programmes, Swiss research institutions are cooperating with foreign partners on research projects, the results of which help strengthen the research centres in the respective countries and their cooperation with Switzerland.
In addition to developing projects together, the research programmes offer scientists from the respective countries a unique opportunity to share research findings, to identify possible avenues for closer international cooperation and to explore investment and business opportunities.
Targeted promotion of various research disciplines in the individual countries
In total Switzerland has committed some CHF 60 million to supporting research in the five countries. The number of planned projects varies from country to country. A total of around 120 projects will be supported, and their results will be published. The projects are assigned to various predefined categories agreed with the countries on the basis of criteria that will ensure optimum promotion as a research location. Joint research projects will be carried out in the following areas:
Bulgaria: Around 20 projects relating to ecological forestry, farming and waste management, social inequalities and regional disparities, innovative buildings and materials, and drug development.
Hungary: 6 projects relating to the environment, health, the disposal of special waste, energy conversion, and academic training. The six projects are already underway.
Lithuania: Around 25 projects relating to climate science and technology, healthcare and life sciences, as well as natural science.
Poland: Around 40 projects relating to information and communication technology, renewable energy, nanotechnology, healthcare, and the environment.
Romania: Around 30 projects relating to sustainable energy, economic growth, social inequality, plus the impact of litter and waste on the environment and climate.
